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20 Best Instant Pot Recipes

April 14, 2023

We’ve rounded up 20 of the very best Instant Pot dinner recipes from our own archives as well as from other food bloggers we love from around the internet.

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Shredded chicken thighs covered with marinara over polenta in a bowl with fresh basil

We hear this question over and over again: what is the best thing to cook in Instant Pot? Well, today we’re answering that excellent question! We’ve rounded up 20 of the very best Instant Pot dinner recipes from our own archives as well as from other food bloggers we love from around the internet. So, without further ado, we present the 20 best Instant Pot recipes!

The Very Best Instant Pot Chicken Recipes

Instant Pot plus chicken equals the simplest, no-brainer kind of weeknight meal. Quick, easy and pretty healthy, these Instant Pot chicken recipes are all winners:

  • Instant Pot Chicken Marinara. Instant Pot chicken marinara recipe is a 3-ingredient equation for dinner that goes something like this: chicken thighs + a jar of marinara sauce = dinner’s done.
  • Instant Pot Teriyaki Chicken. A rich, bold homemade teriyaki is the secret to this delicious Instant Pot chicken recipe.
  • Honey-Balsamic Instant Pot Chicken. Chicken legs cook to tender perfection in a simple honey balsamic sauce, and the whole thing is ready in just 30 minutes!
  • Instant Pot Butter Chicken. We’re big fans of Indian butter chicken—that tender, tomato-y takeout favorite—and this Instant Pot version really delivers!
  • Instant Pot Chicken. Say hello to the best Instant Pot chicken recipe ever! Whenever a recipe calls for perfectly juicy chicken, this is your go-to recipe!
bowl of instant pot beef ragu over pappardelle noodles topped with parmesan cheese

The Best Instant Pot Recipes With Beef

There’s nothing quite like a big slab of beef that’s fall-apart tender and tastes like it’s been braising all day. But what if you could have that same comforting, cozy, hearty meal in just about 30 minutes?! Yeah, that’s the magic of the Instant Pot. Here are four of our favorite Instant Pot beef recipes:

  • Instant Pot Beef Ragu. Rich, savory, and fall-apart tender, our Instant Pot beef ragù recipe is ready fast but tastes like it simmered all day long.
  • Instant Pot Barbacoa Recipe. A copycat recipe for Chipotle’s cravable barbacoa, and (of course) ready super fast! In other words, an extra exciting Instant Pot recipe.
  • Instant Pot Mississippi Pot Roast. If you know about Mississippi pot roast, well then you know how exciting it is to find an Instant Pot version! If you don’t, get ready to fall in love.
  • Instant Pot Meatloaf and Mashed Potatoes. The 2-in-1 recipe introduced us to "pot-in-pot" cooking, where you use the Instant Pot to cook not one but two things at once! It's dinner time MAGIC.
Instant pot mac and cheese in a bowl sprinkled with pepper with a spoon and linen.
Instant pot baby back ribs with cilantro ginger, garlic, honey and lime sauce with peanuts

Classic Comfort Food Recipes—In the Instant Pot!

We’ve got a real soft spot for comfort food—the only downside is that it often takes a really long time to cook. But pressure cooking—which is what an Instant Pot does—speeds up the time between craving and satisfaction by a lot! For example, our Instant Pot mac and cheese cooks in just three minutes!

Instapot White Bean Chicken Chili with jalapeño and red bell peppers

Instant Pot One-Pot Dinners

We’re not saying that mac and cheese isn’t a complete dinner sometimes. But most nights, we want dinner to be a somewhat balanced meal, and these Instant Pot dinner recipes all easily fit the bill as one-pot meals! Dinner’s ready in a flash, and everyone’s happy, right?

  • Instant Pot White Bean Chicken Chili. A colorful mix of garlic, green chilies, and red bell pepper mingles with cumin and chili powder for an Instant Pot chili recipe even the pickiest eater will adore!
  • Instant Pot Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya. Chicken, sausage, veggies and rice all in one delicious NOLA-inspired pot! Yum.
  • Instant Pot Minestrone Soup. Using the Instant Pot can put healthier foods within reach in a new way, like in this soup recipe! Because the Instant Pot quicks food so fast, you can use dried beans—which are a healthier choice than canned—without soaking them overnight! Yet another example of IP magic!
  • Instant Pot Garlic-Herb Chicken and Rice. Garlic, butter and plenty of fresh herbs make this classic Instant Pot chicken and rice recipe a total winner.
No soak instant pot pinto beans in a bowl
chicken tagine with a bowl of cous cous next to it topped with fresh herbs and purple onions

Healthy Instant Pot Recipes

Yes, fast can mean healthy! When you’re making a home cooked meal, at least. And these filling, healthy Instant Pot recipes are proof that you sometimes can get everything you want—even on a busy weeknight.

  • Instant Pot Mexican Pinto Beans. From burritos to bowls to quesadillas, a simple pot of flavorful, Mexican pinto beans is the foundation of many of our favorite quick meals. Plus, thanks to the Instant Pot, pinto beans go from dry to perfectly-cooked in just over an hour.
  • Instant Pot Chicken Tagine. An intoxicating blend of spicy, sweet and savory ingredients make this Instant Pot chicken tagine a memorable meal that’s ready fast.
  • Instant Pot Chicken Burrito Bowl. Boneless, skinless chicken breast, rice, black beans, tomatoes, and spices come together to make a truly delicious and healthy burrito bowl.
  • Instant Pot Chicken Lettuce Wraps. An Instant Pot copycat recipe of P. F. Chang’s Asian chicken lettuce wraps. YUM.

If you make ANY of these 20 BEST Instant Pot Recipes, we want to hear about it! Be sure to tag us on instagram using @themodernproper or #themodernproper if you do!

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20 Best Instant Pot Recipes

Questions & Reviews

Join the discussion below.

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  • Cynthia

    I am looking for a recipe for spaghetti and meat sauce.

    Check out our homemade spaghetti sauce recipe https://themodernproper.com/homemade-spaghetti-sauce

  • Thomas

    Are any of these recipes workable with InstaPot?

    Yes, these all have instant pot instructions. Hope you enjoy!

  • Laura

    Do you have a few recipes without tomatos or peppers? I am allergic. Pot roast catsup substitute for instance. I see the herb chicken recipe and I can try that one.

    There are actually quite a few on this list that don't have peppers or tomatoes: mississippi pot roast, mac and cheese, chicken and dumplings, chicken alfredo, white bean chicken chili..there should be quite a few others but you'll have to check the ingredient lists. hope you enjoy laura.

  • Don

    Need basic corned beef recipe

    https://themodernproper.com/corned-beef-and-cabbage

  • Mike

    I just bought an Instant Pot Duo Plus and want to cook a roast with potatoes and carrots. I can’t find the recipe that I saw on line last week that was the main reason I bought the IPDP.

    Can you send me thorough, DETAILED instructions on what to do to cook this meal, please? This will be the first time that I will have used my IPDP and I’m intimidated by it.

    Also, can I overcook the meal and have everything turn out to be mush?

    Thank you SOOOOO much for a prompt reply.

    Mike

    We have instructions for this on our Classic Pot Roast page. https://themodernproper.com/classic-pot-roast Hope you enjoy Mike!

  • jenn

    So many great recipes and ideas to try with my new instant pot. This saves me so much time searching for ideas, I can just work through the list! The instant pot Mac and cheese was so easy and so delicious!

    We love that one!